In California, a north Hollywood woman says she was refused service at a Dunkin Donuts because she’s deaf.
Later, she posted a TikTok video about the incident that went viral and generated more than two million likes.
It turns out that one of the challenges of mask mandates during the pandemic means that many deaf people who rely on lip-reading are lost.
“Couldn’t hear anything. Yeah, I wear a cochlear implant, but I was not wearing it at that time. I’ve never been refused service before. It hurts,” said Shannon Heroux.
Heroux last week sitting in her car choked up and crying, posting an emotional Tik Tok video after she says a cashier and manager refused her service at an Encino Dunkin Donuts because she’s deaf.
She needed them to either lower their masks so she could see what they were saying or write it down.
A week later, the pain of that day has not much subsided.
“He didn’t believe me. You could see it in his body language. I kept saying write it down once or twice and then he just kept talking with his mask on and then before I know it, I’m just like are you going to take my order? He said, ‘no.’ Well, shook his head, no. Just utter confusion and just heartbroken,” said Heroux.
Pandemic mask requirements have been a problem for people like Heroux, who read lips.
“The whole time. From the moment we went to our first shopping experience with a mask mandate I had to have my partner by my side,” she said.
But she has been able to manage by asking clerks and service staff to help her.
Why this staff wouldn’t do that was stunning, hurtful, and she says discriminatory.
Her TikTok video calling the manager out has been liked more than a million times.
“I want to know like what is this manager like to other people and why would he do that? Because no deaf person deserves that. You know it’s an invisible disability. We shouldn’t be judged like that. Even if we speak or don’t speak, it doesn’t matter,” Heroux said.
The national Dunkin Donuts corporate team has issued a formal apology to Shannon.
She has also scheduled to have a face-to-face with the local franchise owner.